It can be hard to pinpoint the exact moment you were enraptured by something, the moment where something took a hold of you. More often than not, you tend to look back and wonder how you got to where you are; what steps led you down this rabbit hole.
Cartoons and animation have been a mainstay in my life for as long as I can remember. Coming back from school to catch the last few minutes of a show, waiting a whole week for new episodes, the memories are still so vivid.As a child that loved books, manga and comic books, it’s no surprise that animation caught my fancy. Growing up and developing a love for cinema also added to it, because it made me realize that animation had the best of both worlds- my fascination for a good narrative, combined with visual storytelling and stunning art.
There are so many movies and TV shows that have built up my love for this genre, that it can be hard to pick just a few. There are a few standouts though, shows that I consider personally to be not just great animation content, but great content in general.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender- Excellent storytelling, with great world-building, lore and extremely likeable characters. The Last Airbender was one of my favourite shows growing up, and it holds up to the test of time very, very well. Set in a fantasy world where people bend the elements, it could have been limited to just that, and people would have loved it. But it doesn’t limit itself, dealing with heavy topics such as the war, genocide and familial issues. The writing is my favourite part of the show, despite all the aspects being equally as good. 10/10 highly recommend.
- Mob Psycho 100- Moving over to anime for a bit. The show follows a young psychic named Mob, who goes through high school life while exorcising spirits. The show wouldn’t be special if it was just that though. Mob Psycho might just be one of the most genuine pieces of media I have watched. As a shy kid who didn’t know how to deal with emotions, Mob was a show that spoke to me on a personal level. Not just that, the rough, sketchy style that the show is animated in gives the show so much energy and humor- that it elevates the show to a whole new level.
- Rick and Morty- A much more recent favourite, Rick and Morty is writing genius. The one-liners are packed with wit, and each episode being a parody of a classic film or show but still remaining fresh shows the skill of the writers. An anthology show, with each episode being its own contained adventure can be a challenge- having a cohesive narrative that needs to be resolved in 20 minutes while being entertaining, and yet Rick and Morty keep knocking it out of the park.
These are just three from a vast list of favourites, but each of these have definitely played a major role in my creativity and the way I approach art and animation.
Thank you for reading!
